Jacla, Jackla, Jocla………No matter how you spell it, what is it?

A traditional Pueblo jewelry adornment, a jacla is two loops of heishi that were originally earrings and sometimes fastened to the bottom of a stone necklace as a pendant-like attachment.

Jacla is Navajo for “ear string”. The Navajo spelling is the most commonly used version of the word. Jocla is also common but jackla is a phonetic mis-spelling. Although jaclas are attributed to the Rio Grande Pueblo Indians, they were traded with other tribes so have become associated with the Navajo as well. They are seen in vintage photos being worn by members of all southwest tribes, both men and women.

In the oldest style necklaces, the jacla is a pair of loop earrings tied onto the necklace.

The two loops would be removed from the necklace and used as earrings.   This is how the jacla originated. This necklace is likely from 1910-1920.

I can picture a pre-European-contact Rio Grande Puebloan taking his or her jewelry off and storing it that way. And sometimes when not wanting to wear earrings, just leaving the jacla on the necklace as a pendant.

The jacla might match the necklace it is attached to or be of contrasting heishi. Most jaclas have tabular pieces in the bottom center that are called “corn”. They are most often made from white or orange (spiny oyster) shell or coral. According to Mark Bahti, author of Collecting Southwestern Native American jewelery, jaclas with spiny oyster shell corn are rarely seen and highly prized by many Indians.

The tips of the jacla loops are traditionally finished off with coral, a contrasting shell or trade beads, often red.

In the early 20th century, jaclas started to be incorporated into part of the necklace, so this necklace would have likely been made after 1920, likely in the 50s.

Contemporary artists use the jacla design in many ways such as this block turquoise jacla necklace with spiny oyster corn.

And here’s one in very fine heishi from Santo Domingo artist Paul Tenorio

Loop earrings are basically a miniature version of a jacla – they are made with and without corn.

Paula

First Phase in Southwestern Native American Jewelry

The term “First Phase” is a historical term that refers to the early experimentation and development in jewelry by the southwestern Native American Indians.

It is generally though to be a period from approximately 1860-1900.

First Phase jewelery was made for personal use or for family or friends – it was not driven by commercial influences.

Sometimes First Phase is used to refer to the design styles from that era, so a bracelet made to look like a First Phase bracelet would be “First Phase Style” but not First Phase itself. This is an important distinction that should be used when describing items.

Between 1900-1930, tourism grew and Native American jewelry began being influenced by commercialism – what would sell. This is sometimes referred to as the Transitional Period.

To see more views of the items pictured and learn more about their estimated age, click on the photos.

Lakota Four Winds Catlinite Pipe

Four Winds

 The Four Winds are evoked in many Lakota ceremonies. The Four Winds are all wakan. Wakan is a Lakota word which represents mysterious powerful beings or spirits.

Lakota Catlinite Four Winds Pipe by Alan Monroe

The first wind is the WEST, Yata. This is where Wakinyan (the Thunderbird) lives. It is where all animals are created and the West Wind is present when man and animals die. The West Wind is strong and mighty but good natured. It is where the sun goes to rest. The eagle is the akicita (marshall) of the West Wind.

The second wind is the NORTH, Woziya. The tonweyapi of the North are the white owl, raven and wolf. Tonweyapi are aides – they can be marshalls, soldiers, spies or counselors. The North Wind is strong and usually cruel but occasionally jolly. The things he touches grow cold and die. The North Wind decides if the dead people are worthy to pass or wander forever cold, hungry and naked.

The third wind is the EAST, Yanpa. The nighthawk is the tonweyapi of the East. The East Wind sleeps a lot. It is called on to help the sun and the dawn appear. And it gives a place for the moon to regrow. The sun and the moon know and see everything on earth and they tell it to Yanpa. Lodges face east to please Yanpa. The East Wind is evoked by the sick asking for a rest.

The fourth wind is the SOUTH, Okaga. The tonweyapi of the south are waterfowl and the meadowlark. The South wind makes beautiful things, flowers and seeds. It is the giver of life. It is kind and brings good weather. The south is a place where spirits can go after death.

The winds are sometimes at odds with each other over women or other things. Iktomi (spider wakan) purposely stirs up trouble among the Four Winds so he can have fun watching them fights.

Greetings From France – I Love Your Beautiful Watches

Dear Paula,

I have spent many hours happily browsing through all the wonderful watches on your web site. I am hoping to order one for my birthday, but at the moment undecided between the Mother of Pearl Pawn Watch with the little chips of gems in the watch face or possibly the blue needlepoint watch. Before ordering, however, I’ve a couple of questions, if that’s OK?

 

I live in France and wonder quite what the situation is with shipping i.e. a vague idea of price, and also whether I would have to pay customs duty on the watch, and if so, would it be expensive and difficult to obtain delivery of the watch.

My other question is, I was originally looking for a watch with turquoise and coral, or perhaps a bear paw, or bear design, and wonder if you have anything like this, or similar, in your collection that might interest me, I’m quite happy with a pawn watch, there seem to be some wonderful watches on the “sold” site!

I shall look forward to your reply.

Many thanks,

Melanie

Hi Melanie,

We ship to France all the time. Once you decide on the watch and you place your order, just choose France from the drop down menu under “Country” and it will show the shipping. That shipping figure is an estimate, it could be a little bit lower or higher. We will let you know and make the appropriate adjustments. I know international shipping is scheduled for a substantial increase next week. We ship Priority International with insurance.

As far as customs, we do not know specific customs rules of the various countries, so you will have to find out that information in your country. I’m pretty sure that you will have to pay a duty in France to receive your items. You should always check ahead of time to see how packages are handled once they have cleared customs. Sometimes they are delivered by the postal service and sometimes by a courier service.

Watches in the pawn shop

http://www.horsekeeping.com/jewelry/pawn/cr/watches/all-pawn-watches.htm

come AS IS. We have listed all mens and womens watches on the same page. Sometimes we put a new watch face and/or band on a pawn watch and if so, we will note that in the description.

These are our new watches – all come with a new watch face, fresh battery, and watch band to fit your wrist.

http://www.horsekeeping.com/jewelry/watches/watches-ladies.htm

Have fun making a decision !

Paula

The Origin of the Bolo Tie

Origin of the Bolo Tie

Silversmith Victor Cedarstaff of Wickenburg, Arizona, claims to have invented the bolo tie in 1948.

According to an article in Sunset magazine:

Victor Cedarstaff was riding his horse one day when his hat blew off. Wary of losing the silver-trimmed hatband, he slipped it around his neck. His companion joked, “That’s a nice-looking tie you’re wearing, Vic.” An idea incubated, and Cedarstaff soon fashioned the first bola tie (the name is derived from boleadora, an Argentine lariat).

Boleadoras or bolas (from Spanish bola, “ball”) are throwing weapons made of weights attached to the end of cords.

However, it is also said that the bolo tie is a North American pioneer creation that dates back to between 1866 and 1886. There is a bolo tie on display at a trading post in Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, said to date back that far.

A recent exhibit at The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona entitled Native American Bolo Ties: Vintage and Contemporary generated renewed interest in bolos.

This is from the Heard Museum:

The distinctive tie originated in the Southwest, and its popularity quickly spread throughout the West and in many other parts of the country. The necktie has been made even more distinguished by contemporary American Indian artists in Arizona, who make bolo ties that are exquisite expressions of individuality and ingenuity.

Bolo ties, representing the casual nature and somewhat rugged milieu of the West, emerged as a form of men’s neckwear in the 1940s. They directly countered business suits as well as the formality suits represented, and instead marked a different style and a different way of life. In particular, American Indian jewelers and silversmiths brought individuality and creativity to this art form, offering a broad range of unique and artistic options.

Western wear, including the bolo tie, was popularized through 1950s television shows and movies. Some TV and movie personalities who brought scarf slides and bolo ties into the everyday vernacular include the Cisco Kid, Hopalong Cassidy and Roy Rogers. Bolo ties have been created by American Indian jewelers since the late 1940s and they continue to create them today.

The bolo tie’s road to acquiring the status of Arizona’s official neckwear took place over several years. KOOL Channel 10′s anchor Bill Close and five other bolo tie enthusiasts met in 1966 at the Westward Ho Hotel in downtown Phoenix. From the beginning, their intent was to make the bolo tie a state emblem. Perhaps to help the cause, Arizona Highways Magazine devoted several pages of its October 1966 issue to Southwestern jewelry, including bolo ties. Help arrived when Governor Jack Williams proclaimed the first week of March 1969 as “Bolo Tie Week.” After several unsuccessful attempts, a bill making the bolo tie the official state neckwear was finally passed on April 22, 1971. The bolo tie is also the official neckwear of New Mexico and Texas, although Arizona was the first state to designate it as such.

Native American Award for Valor, Courage and Bravery

Is there a Native American symbol awarded to great warriors for valor, courage, and bravery in battle much like the Silver or Bronze Stars awarded to soldiers? If not, can you make a suggestion? Thank you very much.

Wess

Hi Wess,

A Lakota friend of mine sent me this. I hope it is helpful. You can browse our feather hair ties here. Feather Hair Ties. Paula

Tips for Selling Your Native American Jewelry

In these tough economic times, we are receiving increasingly more offers to buy your Native American jewelry. While we like to help and respond to every query, we can’t buy it all !! So I thought I’d outline some options for turning your jewelry into cash.

To prevent disappointment, follow these tips before you price and offer your item for sale:

If it is a vintage piece, don’t clean it with silver polish before you show it for sale.

Examine it carefully for any signs of damage: missing stones, cracked stones, bent silver.

Know what you have. If you are going to advertise a pieces as sterling silver and turquoise, be sure it is sterling silver and made with real turquoise stones.

Do your homework on hallmarks and artists. Be prepared to supply receipts of purchase, certificates of authenticity or other verification if you are selling highly collectible and more expensive pieces.

Once you think you know what you have, you need to establish value.

To get an idea of what your jewelry will bring on the market, read “What is my Squash Blossom Necklace Worth”

Once you’ve established your asking price, write up an honest, detailed description with as much factual information as you have including metal, stones, size, weight, all dimensions, hallmarks, condition and anything else to help the buyer know what you have. 

Now there are a number of sales avenues you can follow.

1.  Private sale – Here is where you would be most likely to get the highest price for your item because you are selling directly to someone with no middle man. A private sale might take place by word of mouth or via a newspaper ad (either print or online).

   

2.  Yard sale – If you or a friend or family member is having a yard sale, it might be a good place to offer your items for sale. Few associated selling costs and usually quick, cash transactions.

   

3.  Local flea market – Some flea markets offer to sell things on consignment or they offer booths where you can sell them. But since many large markets are designed to have unattended booths, security is one of the main issues I see with this approach because the flea markets are often huge and don’t have staff monitoring the spaces. Flea Markets are great for that butter churn that nobody could sneak out under their T shirt but if you leave small jewelry items out on a table, they could disappear. If you lock them in a cabinet, the customer would have to find a market employee to open the cabinet in order to see the item.  So not the best in my opinion.

   

4.  Pawn Shop – When you sell Native American jewelry to a pawn shop, plan on being offered scrap value. Read about how scrap value is calculated in “What is my scrap sterling silver jewelry worth?” 

   

5.  Auction – There aren’t many auctions specifically devoted to Native American jewelry around the country and those that are, would be located in the southwest and probably would be comprised of major, more valuable pieces. Auction commissions run about 30% of the final value and there might be other fees tacked on such as a 10% buyer’s fee, a reserve fee, a withdrawal fee, shipping fees and others. Auctions are usually not suitable for the average Native American jewelry – only the highly collectible items and at targeted auctions. So a bracelet that brings $500 at auction will likely net you $250 to $350.

   

6.  On line auction – Many auction houses hold the sale live at a particular location but also accept bids via internet, telephone and other means.  With that said, there are also auctions that are solely held on line. eBay is a subtype of that which I will cover next, but there are a number of other on line auctions that would be suitable venues for selling Native American jewelry. I’d suggest typing “Native American jewelry auction” in your favorite search engine and browse through the results.  Commissions and fees will be similar to those of conventional auctions. You will be responsible for providing information on the piece and shipping costs.

7.  eBay is a self-serve auction format that is going on all the time. You take your own photographs, write up the item descriptions, set your asking price, buy-it-now price, reserve, and shipping costs. You are responsible for your claims, so if you say something is sterling silver, it must be, or the item could be returned to you. Once you get your account set up and listing ready, you basically wait to see if anyone is interested. If your item sells, you will pay eBay a 10% commission plus other fees including a listing fee and 2.9% fee for accepting payment through PayPal. So figure you’ll end up with 85% of the final price.  So that $500 bracelet will net you $425 IF it sells. Be sure you read the article I refer to above where I suggest using eBay as a way to help you establish the market value of your item. If you list an item at a realistic price, it will sell more quickly.  So if you see that very similar bracelets have sold between $300-425 on eBay and you ask $500 for yours, you might end up re-listing it several times, each time incurring more listing fees and not taking in any money. If you ask $300, it might sell quickly but then you’d only net $255 on that sale and you might wish you had asked more. There is usually a sweet spot, maybe $375 where you might have to wait a little longer but when you get your 85%, it will be $319, maybe a little closer to what you feel you can accept financially and emotionally to part with your piece. To get a close estimate as to what it will cost you to sell you item on eBay, you can use their fee calculator.

 8. Sell at wholesale to a retail store.  If you have inherited a large number of items or have been a collector yourself and need to sell a number of items, it might be most time and cost effective to sell the lot to a retail store, such as ours at www.horsekeeping.com .  We have purchased jewelry in lots from 2 pieces to over 1000 pieces. We pay wholesale prices and pay immediately on an agreement on price. To read about our buying process you can read Do We Buy Native American Jewelry?

 

When people send us a lot, we appraise it and make an offer. 99% of the customers are very satisfied with our offer. On a few occasions, the customer says they would rather keep it than sell it. A few say they want to try to get more for their collection…….but then a month or so later, contact us again and say they will gladly take our offer. I’m thinking that the time and money needed to successfully market the items proved to be greater than they estimated.

I hope that this helps you find some avenues to sell your Native American jewelry when you need to, but if you don’t have to sell it, wear it !!

Paula – What is my Squash Blossom Necklace Worth?

Every week I receive over a dozen queries such as this:

Hi Paula,
I have a necklace that belongs to my sister. Her husband died, and she is trying to liquidate some of her assets. Where can I find out how much it is worth, and where can I sell it for her? We have been to the local jewelers, and he said it was silver. It has several turquoise stones. I think it is called a squash necklace. Thank you for your help, June

Usually I reply suggesting the person read this article which provides much valuable information about selling used Native American jewelry to us.

Do we Buy Native American Jewelry?

It outlines the process we use and it also lists the various factors that affect price.

• Authenticity

• Documentation

• Hallmarks

• The artist’s reputation

• The scarcity of the artist’s work

• The age of the piece

• The quality of workmanship

• The condition (see specifics below)

• The weight of sterling silver and gold used

• The quality and size of the stones used

• The overall aesthetics of the piece.

In addition, the scale of the piece will also affect price. Many people today shop for items of wearable art so look for pieces that aren’t too large, long or heavy. Many squash blossom necklaces are beautiful but are too much necklace for many people to wear. The same goes for some of the masterpiece bracelets – beautiful to look at but impractical to wear.

Size also is a big factor – we have a good idea of what sizes of bracelets and rings sell the best for us and also the length of necklaces that are most popular. We take all of these things into consideration.

It is not uncommon for someone to write us hoping an item will bring $1500 when in fact its current value is about $300. Really the best way to find value is to send or take the item to a person experienced and knowledgeable about Native American jewelry.  (If you take your items to a pawn shop, if the items are sterling silver, you will likely be offered scrap or melt value. That will be the subject of a future article.)

If you don’t want to ship the items and you don’t have a local expert, one good way to get an idea of what your item would sell for is to use eBay as a reference tool. The eBay marketplace will give you a rough idea of retail value since most of the shoppers there are individuals like you.  There are very specific ways to drill down to an accurate market value of a piece.

First log on to eBay

In the search box type in a description that you think another seller might use to describe your piece.

Let’s use “turquoise squash blossom necklace”.  Type that in and then click on Search. In my example you’ll see that search turned up 497 items. (By the way, if you are having trouble reading these screen shots of eBay, hit CTRL +++ to enlarge the font on your screen.)

In the left hand column, under categories, click on Ethnic, Regional and Tribal

That reduces the group to 324 items.

In the left hand column, click on Native American

That reduces the group to 301 items.

This shows the items currently for sale that are like your item. You can browse through this list to see what sellers are currently ASKING for their pieces but a MUCH BETTER  way to learn what your item is worth, is the following.

Next to the blue SEARCH button in the upper right of the screen is the word Advanced. Click on that.

It will take you to this screen.

Look for the section that is headed

Search including (at the bottom of the above screen shot)

and click on the box in front of

Completed listings

This will take you to a page (in my example) with 912 items that were listed with the words “turquoise squash blossom necklace” and were in the Native American category and that either sold or went unsold within the last  60 days. If you have your eBay window set to show 100 items per page, you will have 9 long pages to scroll through !!  Get that cup of coffee !

As you browse note this. Toward the right hand side of each listing, if the price is in red that means the item didn’t get a single bid and didn’t sell.

If the item price is green and there is a SOLD box near it, that means the item sold for that price.

When you find an item that looks similar to yours, you can click on the item and it will take you to that item’s individual page where you can find out more information such as age, whether sterling, weight, condition, hallmarks and you can usually see a number of better close-up photos to help you compare the item to the one you are trying to evaluate. Cracked stones, missing pieces and other damage really lower an item’s price.

So if you see a similar item to yours and it sold for $100, that give you a ballpark idea of what the market will bear – what your item is worth out there in the real world of buyers.  What the market is willing to pay.

If you see a similar item to your own that has a price of $800 but the item is UNSOLD, all that tells you is that someone asked $800 for it but didn’t get it. Often when you scroll through listings you will see the same item appear several times  – as each auction expires, the item goes unsold and the seller relists it.  You might see the price lowering over time or the seller might invite offers with the Best Offer feature.

The bottom line is, the best way to find out what your items are worth is to find a person knowledgeable and experienced in Native American jewelry. You can also use eBay to help you get a ball park figure on what an item similar to yours has sold for in the recent past.

Best of luck and soon I will write an article about melt value and another with advice on what listing your item on eBay entails.

 Enjoy that beautiful jewelry !! Paula

 

Navajo Pearls – Why are the heavier beads less expensive?

Good morning Paula,

I am interested in your Navajo Pearl necklaces. I was wondering why the Lilian Yazzie 16-10 mm graduated necklace (BD757) costs $345 @68 grams while her 20 inch 9mm necklace @55grams costs over $100 more (priced at $460)?  Lori

Navajo Sterling Silver Beads by Lily Yazzie
Graduated 10mm – 16mm
Stamped; Adjustable; 68 grams; $345

Navajo Sterling Silver Beads by Lily Yazzie
Stamped; 9mm; 20″; 55 grams
$460

Hi Lori,

Good question and not the first time someone has asked.

Our prices are really dictated by what the artist asks for at item and it will be based on WHEN we bought an item.

So some items we purchased 3 years ago will be less expensive than the same or an even “lesser” (weight) item item today based on the silver price.

The only time we raise prices is when we go to replenish our supply of a certain item and the artist has raised their price since the last time we purchased from them.

We like to leave items at their “old prices” so people can find bargains. You’ll see what I mean if you visit either the silver or stone bracelet pages – you will see some bracelets between $100 and $200 that we bought several years ago and we’ve left them at their old price. On the same group page you will see similar bracelets priced over $100 more – those are the ones we bought this year !!

Thanks for the question and I hope you find some Navajo Pearls you like!!

 Paula

Native American Artist and Hallmark Books

Hi Paula,

Is there some kind of publication that gives information on Navajo silversmiths similar to the publication on fetishes?

This is a family heritage that should be preserved .

Thanks.  Ruth D

Hi Ruth,

Great question. Here are the books I know of that name artists, give their hallmarks, a little bio and sometimes some examples of their work. We have many other books here on Native American jewelry but these are the ones I refer to most often to research estate and pawn items. I’m sure there are more that other readers might suggest.

Hallmarks of the Southwest
Barton Wright
9″ x 11″ hardbound book
271 pages
Has drawn hallmarks and brief bio of many Navajo, Zuni and Hopi artists

The Little Book of Marks on Southwestern Silver: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders
Billie Hougart
9″ x 6″ paperback book
459 pages
Has photos of hallmarks and brief bios of many Navajo, Zuni and Hopi artists.

Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing
Margaret Nickelson Wright
9 1/2″ x 6 3/4″ paperback book
147 pages
Has 73 page history with photos
The balance of the book is a Chronological Listing of Hopi Artists and Hallmarks. Hallmarks are drawn

American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies
Gregory Schaaf
11″ x 9″ hardbound book
342 pages
Highly illustrated with black and white and color photos of jewelry and artists. Bios range from a few sentences to a few pages.

American Indian Jewelry II: A-L  1,800 Artist Biographies
Gregory Schaaf
11″ x 9″ hardbound book
400 pages
Highly illustrated with mostly color photos of jewelry and artists. Bios range from a few sentences to a few pages.

(Note American Indian Jewelry III M-Z is in production)